The Emperor of all Britannia, and of all its Realms and Areas Beyond the Seas, Rightful Sovereign of Albion by Blood and by Steel, Guardian and Steward of all its Peoples, and Lord Arbiter of Law and Order, was formally coronated in a lavish ceremony at distant Pendragon, televised for all the world to see. It was an unusual occurrence, for it had been done a full year after his accession to the throne. The necessity of the war with the Aetherials had been impressed on everyone's mind however, and a full year's worth of campaigning had only just been able to grant the imperial capital a respite. Just enough time for tensions to ease, for people to relax. So it was decided that such a grand ceremony was just the thing to give the people a boost in confidence.

The Emperor was clad in ornate robes of purple and blue, with a sash of red to symbolize the current war. He rode at the head of a parade of troops, marching smartly in polished uniforms; while mighty Knightmares trundled down, ever-lastinig symbol of Britannian might. The parade was surrounded by cheering people from all sides. Confetti rained all around, completing the spectacle.

He wore the Mask of Boudica, an unusual preference over the usual jeweled Crown and Scepter, or even the Laurel Crown. It symbolized that the Emperor was fighting a desperate war, whether for himself or for the country, and that the citizens should expect the same bloody countenance on his own face when everything was done. The Mask had not been invoked since the Exile, therefore few citizens actually knew its significance. Not that anyone mistook the grim, red exterior for anything but an acknowledgement of their present troubles.

Still, what Cornelia found disturbing most of all was that the coronation, the parade, and everything in between—all of it was a big sham. The masked Emperor there was NOT Lelouch vi Britannia, because Lelouch was currently with her, in this very room, clad in the black suit of her personal guard.

He was smirking with his customary boyish mischief at the screen where the "Emperor" was now being ushered into the Palace.

"How can you look so pleased?" Cornelia snapped, while she stalked the room. To say she was outraged would be an understatement. "This is beyond the pale! You've turned one of our most sacred ceremonies into a sham! Is this all a game to you?"

At this, Lelouch's smile faded, his eyes now following his half-sister's back and forth trail. Though technically her superior, he was at the moment acting as subordinate to her, which meant she was well within her rights to dismiss him. If he pressed himself, he would need to reveal the truth, which would be an inconvenience to his current plans.

"No, my dear Cornelia, it is not. I know you've a brilliant mind, surely you know how this has become necessary."

"What fool thought let you to think that creating a body double would be a good idea? It erodes the faith of the people! And no doubt you had to go Geassing some poor fool to become an Emperor a day."

Lelouch chuckled. "Ah, but that's where you're wrong. That is not some 'Geassed fool'. That is actually C.C. The robes do hide the curves well, no?"

Cornelia stopped and stared at the screen, as if she could will her eyes to look through the clothing, to the truth. "… That is even more of an insult, little brother. Some fool harlot masquerading as the Emperor of Britannia? Utterly vile… Shameless!"

"Now now, she can look and play the part well enough. The Mask of Boudica will serve to quell all questions for the moment, giving me enough time to do what I need to do here before I need to get back." He rose, and donned his own mask, the military helmet assigned to the faceless guards assigned to Cornelia. "And do you not know that that witch has actually played the part of a body double many times in our histories? I urge you to have a look at the histories again if you've the chance, particularly to the Duke of New York, our ancestor Emperor Emil II. She was his confidant then, and played his part well until his death."

"Enough about her," Cornelia said, grunting. "This is about you. This was to be your coronation, Lelouch. It shan't ever happen again, unless you are succeeded, and you manage to succeed them a second time. No monarch in the history of our nation has ever missed that, and I would have never thought anyone ascending the throne of Britannia would ever want to miss that chance."

Lelouch's expression was already unreadable, having already disappeared behind the mask. "Believe what you will, my dear sister. In the meantime, we must all play our parts, to ensure Britannia and its people survive." He opened the door to the corridor, and pointedly looked back at her silently, as if urging her outside. Once in public he was not allowed to talk, to preserve the mystique of the personal guard.

Cornelia sighed and shook her head. "We'll talk about this later," she muttered, brushing past him to the outside hall. Lelouch dutifully marched after her, easily matching her brusque pace as she went to the command room.

Ever since the successful test of the new secret weapon brought over from R & D, the situation on Cornelia's part of the front had improved by inches. And by that it meant they had literally gained ground for a few inches once a day, until they managed to inch forward a full mile after about two weeks of cautious maneuvering. Elsewhere, the front also stabilized, enough for the other generals to continue advancing forward, reclaiming the Southern Areas in long swathes.

The days after the coronation had seen a resurgence in social movement at the Capital, with many nobles now cautiously holding balls and parties as they were used to do under Charles. They had been expressly forbidden during the Campaign to destroy the North American Gate, yet now Lelouch had commanded a loosening of the restrictions.

His advisors, including Jeremiah Gottwald, were adamant that the order was short-sighted, as the ban was imperative to protect against Aetherial subterfuge. But Lelouch replied that this was a stratagem to use against the curs, as he still needed to gauge their overall capabilities. What better bait than a high-ranking noble, as they did with Schneizel? If nothing happened, that would prove one of C.C.'s theories right, that the Aetherials could not possess anything within the presence of a contract owner of the World of C, as these parties would be beyond C.C.'s presence.

Without a working Aetherial detector, it would be hard to ferret out those who had already been possessed. The only good thing that remained was that the military and police forces, all who had been Geassed, were completely incorruptible, as he was their only superior and could not be countermanded by any other. He had even made them completely subordinate to his presence alone, so even C.C. disguised as him would not be able to dislodge their loyalties.

Lelouch kept on sending coded messages to certain countries in Europe, who had become islands in a green sea. Protected by manifestations of the World of C, they struggled to survive in underground fortresses, and were ready to accede to Lelouch's ultimate authority, as Britannia was the only one large enough to resist the buggers—and even more, to send them packing.

He plied their minds for any knowledge gleaned about the invaders, and in exchange he used the Damocles to help them in a very crude, but unique manner. Designed to fire FLEIJA rounds on any target from any location on Earth, these were now used to launch supplies at those resisting nations, completely bypassing Aetherial territory to ensure they yet lived to fight another day. The nature of the ballistic delivery was always destructive in some way, but what mattered if they destroyed an old church or two?

And then, "Fortress Japan", the bulwark of Suzaku's presence over at the former Area Eleven, experienced its harshest days yet, when the Aetherials launched a full-scale assault on their territory. Massive waves of Aetherials battered against Suzaku's defensive lines, following a stratagem of Lelouch's making. Deployed as he was in Cornelia's camp, Lelouch had no choice but to watch through second-hand feeds the desperate battles that ensued. Every single skirmish was a recorded testament of Suzaku's skills and the valor of the Japanese people.

But they also showed the terrible means through which the Aetherials could twist matter and nature for their own ends. Armies of filthy, rotting corpses were sent in massive waves—by land, by sea, by air—spreading their pungent diseases as they disintegrated. Over time, Suzaku was forced to pull back, not from a tactical defeat, but from the necessity of keeping his soldiers from this infectious muck. He was forced to return later, during a lull in battle, to burn away these ruined mockeries of humanity to ash—until the very next battle, when the pattern would repeat once more.

He wanted to offer his tactical expertise, even with his current location in Cornelia's base. But the assault on Japan coincided with a renewed Aetherial offensive all along the southern line, forcing Lelouch to take command when he saw fit. All the other generals were given advice, not knowing that their Emperor was right there with them with Cornelia. The green-tinged bastards were attempting to break through a portion of the line that seemed weak and ill-defended, which had been another deliberate attempt on Lelouch's part to gauge the Aetherials' capabilities. The thrust was let through, then bottled up before being annihilated under hadron fire.

During that time, Lelouch was limited to receiving the updates on Japan's supply situation, as that was the most critical weakness of Suzaku's Fortress. Up to this point in time, Japan was still expected to be self-sufficient in terms of supplies and war material, as crossing the Pacific was still a sketchy affair. Anything other than food (which could be resupplied through the Damocles' system) had to come from Japan's own manufactories, and that included the energy packs that were needed to power the hadron cannons. The latest statistics from their local industrial sector were not promising—as there were shortages everywhere of raw material and manpower needed to reach the quota that Lelouch had projected.

As the Aetherial attacks escalated, Lelouch had to anxiously keep watch on the supply reports coming from Suzaku, calculating each new possibility in his mind. Suzaku was a god of the battlefield, and the Japanese certainly were as valorous on the defense as him. But he was only one man and the Lancelot Albion was only one Knightmare. Their enemies could not be destroyed through conventional means. Eventually, the defense would crumple from its own bloated weight, unable to be supported any longer by the Japanese industry. Knightmares would become unpowered, pilots hungry, defenses unmanned, and artillery shells would run out.

After more than a week of fierce engagements, the Aetherials finally relented, and Fortress Japan stood, battered but alive. This news sent a cheer throughout Britannia, for the staunch, desperate defense had buoyed the spirits of those who feared the Aetherial threat. Per Lelouch's recommendation, C.C. publicly thanked Suzaku and the Japanese defenders, silencing the dissenting murmurs of those Britannians who thought to retain the island as Area Eleven.

Still, it was very nearly a Pyrrhic victory. The amount of resources that had been expended had completely wiped out the stockpile that had been gathered in anticipation for a campaign of reprisal. It would take months to replace, and in the meantime, there was no guarantee that there wouldn't be another offensive from the Aetherials. Suzaku's Fortress was left in a very precarious position, as the Japanese manufactories scrambled to replace their losses. This fact Lelouch decided to conceal from the general Britannian public, so as not to disrupt their celebratory moods.

In the aftermath it was learned that the usage of the new device was still not practical enough to produce viable results. In its deployments, the Aetherials would somehow be attracted to the signal produced by the devices, each aiming to destroy it before activation. Most of the deployments became disastrous routs, as the enemy overwhelmed its defenders before the device could complete its intended purpose. The loss of so many Knightmares and pilots was a strain that could not be tolerated.

And so, Lelouch got to whipping the backsides of the R & D Division once more. For a month other prototypes were presented, until Lelouch saw one that looked promising. The device was sent down to Cornelia's base not long after, ready for another field test.

The secret to the device, as known only to the highest-ranked engineers of R&D along with Lelouch and C.C., was an attempt at imitating the peculiar frequencies emitted by the places connected to the World of C. They were called "C" waves. It had been proven to have a repulsive factor to Aetherials, as proven by their single-minded hatred for his Geassed soldiers. They also routinely avoided these sacred places like the plague, such as in the case of their very first battle against Schneizel's forces, when the brutes dared not come near the Albion, for fear of C.C.'s presence. She emitted some sort of short-wave frequency that repelled the Aetherials, enabling Lelouch to rescue quite a lot of dignitaries—including Kallen—from way back then.

If it was concentrated, as had been performed with the prior device, it could successfully blast the creatures to oblivion. However, the technology involved was so advanced that it needed a lot of resources to emit even one imitation field. The parts involved in the machine were also finicky and prone to malfunction at even the slightest disturbance. If it could be improved, such a device could be applied to Knightmares, enabling them to shorten the war. Lelouch had been heartened to hear that Nina Einstein, the brains behind the FLEIJA superweapon, was hard at work developing a new way to scatter such "C" waves over a large area, completely negating the need to commit precious men.

Unfortunately, such hopeful scenarios yet existed as theories. His engineers, while brilliant, were as apprentices in this field of work, and could not produce masterpieces just yet. For now, they had to make do, as all would-be inventors, with simple prototypes. This time, one such prototype was some sort of device that could emit the "C" waves not through a constant emitting pattern, but on and off, like a transmitter. The device was able to cover a large area, but was not intended to destroy Aetherials, for its waves were too weak. If the technology could be refined, it was a good alternative for use in Knightmares, able to confound combatants in close range combat; or in static defenses, to slow down an Aetherial advance.

As such, Cornelia was tasked, with Lelouch following as guard, to test the device, as before. They needed to find an area where Aetherials were known to cross, plant the Device, and observe its effects—from what was hoped to be a safe distance.

For this mission, Cornelia elected to take a smaller group, and from there divided the group into even smaller pairs. Each one was to swiftly take one of the devices to an objective point, activate it, observe and record its effects on the Aetherials, before returning independently to the base with the findings. Battle was forbidden except in the most extreme circumstance. If an enemy engaged and pursued, they were to try to avoid running into the direction of another pair, but to return to the front-lines, where her troops were all prepared to weather an assault equal or greater to what had happened to Japan.

Cornelia was all set to take one of her own men as a pair, but the royal guards "intervened". She'd forgotten she needed to be watched at all times thanks to her refusal to be Geassed, so Lelouch went with her as a pair, a fact she personally disliked. But there was no use complaining too much about it, so off they went to accomplish the test.

Unlike before, Cornelia did not bring her own personal Knightmare, for the reason that it might "attract" Aetherials who probably recognized her on sight. Lelouch wanted to countermand this, for her reasoning seemed faulty and ill-advised.

"Can you say with all certainty, then, that this is how the Aetherials operate?" she asked.

Lelouch had no concrete answer to give. As she was still overall commander of this part of the front, he had no choice but to allow her this small indulgence. He didn't want to antagonize his half-sister any further.

They sped out through the wartorn landscape, the ground scarred by the Aetherials' strange magics. Beautiful countryside was turned into inhospitable, alien land, while the cities of man were systematically leveled, defiled, the waters poisoned and all life purged. It was a massacre on such a massive scale that the reality had yet to sink in—for him and for anyone else who saw the greater world as he did.

They reached their designated point in due course, and were able to activate the device without much fuss.

They then moved their Knightmares to a secure overlook with a good view over the target area, from where they hopefully could not be spotted by any roving Aetherials while also being able to effect a quick escape. Then, they left their Knightmares and were able to take refuge inside a small depression that allowed them to lie prone and flat on the ground. Lelouch brought with him a long-scoped rifle, which he planted on top of an elevated part of ground to aim down at the target area below. Cornelia was privately surprised to see Lelouch handle a gun like this. They had also brought the very latest in binocular technology, which incorporated the advanced optic system normally reserved for Knightmares.

"… We'd better settle in," Lelouch said, turning over from his prone position until he was facing her on his side. "It might take a while for any Aetherial to come."

"You need to be a bit more vigilant," she said, keeping her voice low. "Surely the enemy could hear us if you keep talking like that."

"My apologies," Lelouch said, in a near whisper of his own. "I shall endeavor to remember that."

Time passed. The surrounding landscape was bleak, as some strange unnatural sorcery of the Aetherials had made it so it was perpetually cloudy in lands they controlled. The scientists were postulating that it was due to the energy "refuse" the Aetherials left behind, which interfered greatly with the natural process of evaporation and sublimation. Notably, this did not lead to rain. This lead to an effect akin to rampant desertification everywhere, which damaged the ecologies everywhere, perhaps permanently. This was more noticeable in lands they controlled longer, rather than in, for example, Pendragon, where their contamination had not lasted a full year. But it would perhaps take a longer time for the weather in the Southern continent to return to normal, if at all.

With the weather in such a state, it was difficult to discern time passing. Lelouch was not that impatient, but he did feel very much exposed out here, in hostile territory with only his half-sister near him. Feeling a bit self-conscious of someone's gaze, he turned his head and saw Cornelia staring at him.

"…What?"

"What's on your mind?" Cornelia said.

"… Thinking on the many ways I could take apart an Aetherial," he said. "What sort of question is that?"

"You looked like you were really troubled by your thoughts," she replied.

"May I remark," Lelouch said haughtily, as if they were just casually talking over drinks at a ball, "That I have observed your brow to also display the same propensities?"

Cornelia snorted. "You've got me there." She shrugged. "Well, I'm just curious. If you're wrestling with a secret that troubles you greatly—then please remember what I told you before. What I demanded from you."

Lelouch glanced sidewise at her. She had exhorted from him a promise to be transparent in things involving her directly, like this project. He had been forced to tell her it was a new prototype in order for her to agree to the mission. Yet despite his promise, he was still reluctant to part with all his secrets to Cornelia, or to anyone, even.

"I shall attempt to assuage your doubts, my dear sister, by telling you what is really at the forefront of my mind at this very moment," he said, keeping his eyes on the scope. "First of all: the most recent Japanese assault is foremost in my mind, especially with regards to their supply situation. I fear that without intervention they will be finished if the Aetherials return within a month, maybe even less."

"And the intervention is sure to be costly," she said, to which Lelouch nodded. All of Britannia's top military command were aware of the difficulties the Navy faced in defending Britannian waters. Though Britannia was able to field the Avalon-class cruisers in the hundreds (ironically thanks to Schneizel's initiative), the meat of the defense was still on sea-borne Knightmare carriers, which were a lot more vulnerable to the Aetherial monstrosities that routinely raided the coasts.

In fact, much of the reason for the slow pace of the Southern campaign was the need to coordinate with the Navy, who worked to ensure that both oceans on either side of the continent were adequately protected from a naval invasion. This investment would need to be doubled whenever the campaign was deemed completed—such was Lelouch's directive once the Pendragon Gate had been destroyed.

Thanks to that precarious situation, Lelouch was therefore quite reluctant to commit any resources towards supplying Japan. Just getting Suzaku and a token army of Knightmares there across the Pacific had constituted a significant gamble. The Navy ships who had ferried them there could not return and was thus directed to join the Japanese contingent in defending the faraway island—putting even more strain on Japan, as the Knightmares needed the precious sakuradite to operate.

"The second point is more pertinent to us here," Lelouch remarked. He glanced upward, towards the gloomy sky. Cornelia followed his glance. "Look around you. A land stripped of life. We were fortunate that the Northern continent was spared from Aetherial depravity. But what of the Southern continent? What of the occupied Japan? All the seas and oceans poisoned—the creatures within, all mutilated! What of the rest of the world, blistered to ash by these monstrous fiends?"

"It will take a long time for the land to recover," Cornelia remarked.

"More than that, sister," Lelouch said. "Even if we find a way to reverse the effect on the soil, on the waters—humanity has been dealt a grievous blow. I have not yet discussed this with my scientists, with my statisticians—but it will take a singular endeavor to work on the land left behind. The South has been denuded of its peoples. What is left of Britannia cannot hope to restore a semblance of normalcy, to fill in the blank spots left, within just a generation. I fear I may die long before the recovery can truly start."

"The concern has been on my mind as well," Cornelia said, affording Lelouch a subtle look of respect.

Lelouch then chuckled, mirthlessly, as if some grim joke had occurred to him. "But of course, if we ever do manage to destroy the Aetherial threat, we would be faced with a world that has no choice but to accept Britannian supremacy. For how can they, when nearly all the people tasked to renew this world will be my subjects? I'd accomplish what no other man has done before, sister: I'd rule the entire world. Wouldn't father be ecstatic?"

Cornelia blanched. It was not an unreasonable expectation, though this was still contingent on their winning against a force that was twice as strong as their number.

"… They're here," Lelouch announced. Cornelia tensed, pushing herself downward. She whipped her oculars up, focusing them on the spot where the device was. Lelouch looked through the rifle's scope, grimacing to himself in anticipation.

A small Aetherial force appeared, mostly consisting of "golem" types that animated rocks and earth for its purpose. They were each as large as a Knightmare.

"What are they doing?" she asked. The Aetherials milled about, pushing against each other like a crowd at some gathering.

"Fascinating," Lelouch said.

"Do they seem affected?" Cornelia asked.

"The device is active, I can confirm that," he said. "And as it appears, it seems they're now acting strangely—quite contrary to their usual actions. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I can't say for certain," Cornelia said, straining her eyes. She flicked a few dials on the ocular. "They may or may not be reacting to the device."

"They should be, certainly," Lelouch said, confident. "They're not advancing."

"They're not retreating," Cornelia said.

The Aetherials appeared to be dumbfounded. It looked like they were trying to ascertain the source of the booming signal, which seemed to be interfering with them at some fundamental level. It was perhaps like a human hearing a constant buzzing noise, or thereabouts.

"I wonder what they'll do," Lelouch said. "They have to retreat somehow—" His speculation was silenced by a sudden flash of green, which signified the Aetherials self-destructing. He flinched, as the flash had temporarily blinded him. Beside him, Cornelia was also pinching her eyelids.

"What's going on, can you see?" said Cornelia.

Lelouch adjusted his pose and looked through the scope with his other eye. The explosion had left a smoking crater.

"They were able to destroy it," he said. The concussive blast from that explosion had shattered the device. Once again, Lelouch was struck with how inhuman their foes could be, how easily they could resort to such tactics with their alien minds and morals. Forcing someone to self-destruct to accomplish some tactical objective was never a decision that Lelouch took lightly.

"You hear that?" he heard Cornelia say. Lelouch cocked his head; a moment later his brain quickly put two and two together.

"Incoming!" he shouted, instantly tumbling off to the side as the earth shook around them. The noise was deafening, but neither Lelouch nor Cornelia cared at that point. "Follow me!" he shouted, hoping his sister would hear. He began to crawl rapidly over the ground, ignoring the toll it demanded from his body. He crawled and crawled, his heart thudding in his chest, hoping against hope that the enemy wouldn't be so lucky and kill both the commander of this front and the Emperor of Britannia himself. Eventually, they made it to another depression, forming a small cave, into which both he and Cornelia slid into.

"Do you have the oculars?" he said hastily. He had left his rifle in his haste—that might have been a mistake, depending on the circumstances.

"Yes." She handed him the oculars, which he used to peer over the opening. The artillery strikes continued, and he could confirm that they had struck their Knightmares—not enough to destroy, but they were certainly damaged.

"We've got no choice," he said. "Activate the protocols."

Cornelia nodded grimly. It was always standard operating procedure to deny even a single piece of technology to the Aetherials. For Knightmares charging into battle, the process was automatic. Here they forced the issue, sending the signal to the pair of Knightmares which made them explode.

"Good foresight to not bring your command Frame," Lelouch whispered. Cornelia's own personalized Knightmare would have been a great loss.

"How did they know we were there?" Cornelia hissed.

"They didn't," he said. "They were guessing."

"And somehow struck gold," Cornelia said, shaking her head in disbelief.

Lelouch resisted the urge to get snippy and point out that had he been the Aetherial "commander" in charge, he would have also suspected a nearby ambush after encountering the strange device. Of course, he would not have expended resources to bombard the area, especially on a mere hunch.

Unless, he thought, frowning, the Aetherials knew they were here. Well, they would know now after seeing their Knightmares explode.

"They'll be on high alert," he concluded aloud. "We need to relocate, Cornelia."

"Have you signaled for a rescue?"

"Not yet."

She glared. "Why the hell not? This is foolishness!"

"We'd be leading them straight to this lot. Who knows how many they've got here. Remember that we can only send a signal, and not exact orders. We lost that with the Knightmares."

Cornelia bit her lip, as she saw the logic in it. Without any communication device, their only means of contacting the base was the transponder, and the respective code "Emergency". They would be able to get to the signal's last known location, which would then lead to an inevitable clash with the Aetherials here.

"You doubt my men?" she asked.

"No, but I do like to minimize any untoward results," Lelouch said. He had pulled out some form of map and was laying it flat on the ground. "I don't want to lose even a single Knightmare if I can help it, and neither should you. The mere fact we were forced to dispose of ours is already bad enough."

"We're in danger!"

"Yes, I know that, sister," he said. He pointed to a spot on the map. "And that's why we just need to head here first. I've had the liberty of analyzing the geography of this place, and this is a good spot, putting us at enough distance from the Aetherials here." He placed his map back inside his clothes and took another peek out. "Come on, let's go."

The artillery shelling had stopped, but that did not mean the Aetherials had gone. They would most likely linger in the area, perhaps to investigate the wreckage of the Knightmares left behind. And whatever alien intelligences were manifest in their frames would possibly be discussing this development amongst themselves. They were not as a pack of beasts who would not be able to reason out the presence of the device, or the destroyed Knightmares.

As such, Lelouch and Cornelia flitted from hiding spot to hiding spot, always making sure they didn't see the faintest flash of green before they moved again. It was a very harrowing experience, especially for the Emperor, who had limited stamina despite his sincere efforts to improve.

It was then that they walked straight into a problem.

And that was an entire Aetherial force.

They were massing at the small valley before them, which was blocking their path to the coordinates Lelouch wanted.

"They're preparing an assault," Lelouch said.

"Now do you see?" Cornelia whispered. "We walked right into the lion's den."

He sighed. "I don't think we were any safer back then than here." He took out the map again. "By the looks of it, the ones back there was a scouting force. The distance does explain their presence—and their low number." He cleared his throat, as he traced a line from their current position to where they'd left. "In any case, we can't move, nor request an extraction, until they leave."

"This close to the front, you can be sure they're looking to strike," said Cornelia.

"That's my guess as well." He caught her anxious look. "Are you concerned you will not be there?"

"Of course not!" she said indignantly. "I know how to delegate. My men can function perfectly well without me."

"Morale would be a concern," he observed.

"Fighting for their lives against an alien threat is a boost to morale in itself," she replied. "We need no damned Geass for that."

It was a good thing they were able to secure rations on their person, because they ended up staying a full night. Neither royal could countenance dried flat biscuits and chocolate for long, but they had to make do. It was a tense night, as they both labored under a constant, oppressive fear. The ghoulish emerald light that tinged the landscape did not help, nor were the strange noises the nearby Aetherials made. They retreated into the cave as much as they could, leaving nothing to chance.

They kept a furtive watch, alternating every two hours to be safe. But Lelouch couldn't bring himself to sleep, and neither did Cornelia.

It was during Lelouch's turn at the watch when the Aetherial came.

At first it had just been a peculiar noise, like the ones the Aetherials made. Then came a rumble beneath their bodies, along with the steady crunching sound of stone sliding against stone.

Lelouch's eyes widened, as he quickly dragged Cornelia's body deeper into the hole. "Be quiet," he whispered, to stifle her protest. "They're here." He threw his own body on top of her, hoping his sleek bodysuit was enough to make them recede into the darkness of the inner cave. Then he felt a presence behind him, which sent greenish light into the cavern. They remained fortunate; they were situated below a rock that obscured them from view.

As Cornelia's body spread its warmth to his, he became aware of the two heartbeats that seemed to echo in the tense silence. His eyes glanced down and saw Cornelia's pale, frightened face, even as he willed himself and her to be silent. He felt her hot breath waft against his, determinedly small. They still didn't know how Aetherials could see or hear, and this was a gamble on the hope that they would not be found.

Eventually, the green glow disappeared, leaving them both shrouded in darkness once more. Yet neither of them dared to breath, nor speak, nor even move, still fearful of the giant that had just peeked into their hiding place. He became aware of how soft and fragile their bodies could be, as he kept on hugging Cornelia's body under him. A push, a flick, and they would both die, quick as that. Though Lelouch was determined to Geass Cornelia if the worst came to pass.

"Are they gone?" Cornelia said.

He strained his ears, trying to guess. "I think so."

"Oh Lelouch..!" He was surprised to be engulfed in an embrace so tight it literally took his breath away. He felt warmth on his cheek, and realized that Cornelia had kissed him. He held her close, patting her neck awkwardly as she continued to sob. In comforting her, he was able to divest his own fear.

After a while, her tears had subsided. "I'm sorry," she said, sniffling. "I just…"

"It's alright," he said. "It's understandable."

"I was prepared for everything, even death." Cornelia groaned. "But give me an ending in battle, not to be crushed underfoot by those things…"

Lelouch snorted. "It's rather refreshing. I've not seen this side of you."

"And if you wish to remain living, you'll keep it to yourself," she said, punching him lightly.

They checked their surroundings once more, and confirmed that the Aetherials had left. That wasn't much of a comfort, as it meant they might be assaulting the front, but at least they had survived—even if it was by the skin of their teeth.

Lelouch had no objections to activating the emergency signal. They needed to escape badly.

Lelouch's prediction had been right. There had been an assault on the front just as the base had received the priority distress signal. Still, he was impressed that Cornelia's people were able to swiftly organize a rescue, even as the first waves of Aetherials started battering on their defenses.

After being picked up by the scouts, they were returned in due order, just as the rest of the Aetherials began to hammer at the defensive line. While Lelouch went off to dump his findings and debrief the other ones who had tested their devices, Cornelia ably took up her position as commander and started issuing orders and analyzing data in no time at all.

The sound of numerous explosions came, muffled by the walls of the mobile base. Battle was joined.

It took a while to collect the information, then to pass it on personally to R & D. The results of the observation were interesting.

The other pairs sent with their own devices had relatively uneventful missions. They were able to observe and record the devices' effect on the Aetherials, including the means by which they got rid of the problem. But the conclusions that could be gained from the gathered information all agreed: the C waves of this caliber was enough to disorient or enrage Aetherials, enough that they would do anything in their power to shut it off. And if that included blundering on their end, then all the better for Humanity. If the machinery could be refined for mass production and installation into Knightmares, this would already be a huge step to combating their hated foes.

After debriefing R&D, Lelouch moved on to manners of state. His best source being the only one qualified to give an unbiased view of the situation: C.C. As expected, his absence had been noted. His fellow guard had dutifully reported back to Pendragon that "he" had failed to report back. Fortunately, they were still at the preliminary stages of the emergency plan, so not a lot had been done. The end result would have been C.C. the "Emperor" formally announcing his retirement due to an injury, and transferring the throne over to Nunnally. Much had been prepared in the case of his death, so he was relieved—in a way—that things were operating just as he expected.

He also got a more complete update on Japan's situation, which was a lot more optimistic than before. Thanks to the overwhelming Aetherial assault, nearly all of the Japanese quartered there had now woken to the threat. There had been a small faction who were adamant that Japanese problems required Japanese solutions, and that cooperation with the Britannian forces stationed there was out of the question. Part of the industry therefore, had been slow thanks to their refusal, with work going more into what Lelouch perceived as "non-essential" industries, such as small arms and motorized armor. Yet with the recent hard-fought victory, they were able to see the error of their ways, and had now committed to their part in fueling the war effort. It was a slight improvement, but it would allow Suzaku and his soldiers to get back on their feet much sooner than projected.

"Do you think you're going to receive an assault equivalent of Japan?" C.C. asked, when the base shook around him. That must have been another artillery shot that had hit far too close for comfort.

"We'll see. But we'll fare better." Cornelia and her fellow generals were considerably better supplied than Japan, with constant reinforcement of men and war supplies coming in every day. This was why it had been important to secure a wide, if inefficient front, without fear of the Aetherials coming in to disrupt the supply lines.

"Will you take over as commander?"

Lelouch frowned. "No. Cornelia is well suited to her role."

"And what of the other generals?" she asked. "I'm receiving reports here that the Aetherials are striking on all fronts."

"I have faith in them," he said stiffly. Though not as much as his faith in Cornelia. "But do keep me informed, yes?"

"Alright. Anyway, before I forget, Kaguya's asked for you. Again."

Lelouch smiled wryly. "What? Another demand?"

"You know what she's asking for, Lelouch."

"Right, right," he waved, dismissively, though inside he was filled with deep foreboding.

He had a right to fear Kaguya Sumeragi, as the woman who had once been cold to him after being unveiled as Zero, had now seemingly warmed back up. He had observed it happen just after he'd destroyed the Pendragon Gate, when everyone started celebrating their victory. In public, Kaguya was reserved, aloof—but when she got him in private she had attempted to kiss him. And many times after that.

Lelouch persistently avoided her, knowing it was never good to be entangled with the head of state of another sovereign country. But Kaguya was equally persistent, and Lelouch's only recourse was to maintain an "official" façade for longer periods of time, then slipping away to his quarters before anyone noticed. Thanks to the ongoing crisis, even Kaguya wasn't allowed inside the Emperor's quarters, owing to the fear of Aetherial infiltration. But his constant evasions didn't seem to faze the woman, whose attentions continued to this day.

"Why doesn't she pine after Suzaku?" he said. "He's the one who's defending her beloved country."

"Like any smart woman, she knows who the real power is," C.C. said. "Face it, Lelouch. You're going have to give her a firm refusal. Or barring that, you're going have to sleep with her, and get it over with. Who knows, she might just be disappointed."

"That's funny, you didn't seem like you were ever disappointed."

"Who's to say I wasn't?" C.C. said, cocking her head.

"Your cunt."

C.C. laughed, a roaring, hysterical laughter, while Lelouch rolled his eyes and shut off the connection. He sat back in contemplation, his mind still thinking through a dozen different plans every second.

But now he was able to notice that a recurring theme in his thoughts was a recent memory. It was the scene of the cave, when an Aetherial had almost gotten to kill the Britannian Emperor.

And that kiss most of all! That burning sensation in his cheek that refused to fade from his memories. And the uncomfortable, though not unwelcome, warm feeling he'd got when he'd held Cornelia's body close to him.

"Best not to think of it," he said to himself, sighing. He had a lot more to worry about now than his own misguided emotions.

Story commissioned by theqman, thank you. A reminder that the story is commissioned.

If you'd like a story commissioned, feel free to contact me here, or on archiveofourown under "RHoldhous".